Stoughton's Cowan takes oath of office to temporarily replace Kerry

William “Mo” Cowan of Stoughton can now put “D-Mass.” after his name – for about four months, anyway.

By Edward Donga

The Herald News, Fall River, MA

By Edward Donga

Posted Feb. 7, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated Feb 7, 2013 at 7:17 AM

By Edward Donga

Posted Feb. 7, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated Feb 7, 2013 at 7:17 AM

WASHINGTON

» Social News

William “Mo” Cowan of Stoughton can now put “D-Mass.” after his name – for about four months, anyway.

The former chief of staff to Gov. Deval Patrick was sworn in as interim U.S. senator on Thursday.

The senator was joined by Secretary of State John Kerry, the man he will be replacing until a special election in June, and U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., as Vice President Joe Biden administered the oath of office.

“I’m not here to make a mark. I’m just here to do the work that’s required,” Cowan said while meeting with the press after the event. “Governor Patrick had the confidence in me to send me down here to focus on the things that matter most to the people of Massachusetts.”

Patrick, who chose Cowan to temporarily fill the Senate seat, was also present for the swearing in.

Cowan will serve until June 25, when a special election will be held so state residents can choose someone to serve for the remainder of Kerry’s term, which runs through 2014.

“The one thing I’d like to achieve is just make sure that the people of Massachusetts are well-represented by their two members in the Senate, by the caucus as a whole, and to focus on the things that Massachusetts cares about,” Cowan said.

“I’m grateful to Secretary Kerry because as he goes to do his important work, he’s left me with a very experienced staff who’s been very busy getting me up to speed and briefing me on all of the important issues of the day.”

One of the first senators to congratulate the North Carolina-born Cowan on his new position was Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C. Scott was appointed in December to replace former Sen. Republican Jim DeMint, who resigned to become president of a Washington-based think tank.

Democratic U.S. Reps. Edward Markey and Stephen Lynch are competing for the Democratic nomination to fill Kerry’s seat. Due to last week’s decision by former Republican Sen. Scott Brown not to run, the Democrats – who now have a 55-45 majority in the Senate – are widely favored to hold retain the seat.

Cowan was accompanied by his family, including his wife, his two children and his mother. He posed for pictures with them and other politicians after the ceremony.

Cowan said it was their presence that made the day special.

“Days like today are what my mother spoke of when I was a kid – that if you just worked hard, you did the right things and you treated people well, anything could happen,” he said.